Retreat director
Founder of Elementa and lead facilitator on every Elementa retreat, in Byron Bay and abroad.
Founder & retreat director
Anastasia Stockwell
I am the founder of Elementa and the facilitator in the room. Since 2019 I have held over 700 women through retreats, circles and workshops, most of them in the Byron Bay hinterland.
700+
women held since 2019
50+
five star Google reviews
3
countries hosted in
The short version
Born in Ukraine, raised in Germany, at home in Byron Bay.
I trained in theatre and education first, which is probably why my retreats feel more like a room being held than a programme being delivered. The rest came later: 500hr Hatha Yoga, Yin and Somatic Mindfulness, Qi Gong, Arts Therapy facilitation, and a PhD spent researching how the body carries what the mind files away.
I found safety in achievement long before I found it in my body. Elementa grew out of what changed when that flipped: movement, creativity, nature and other women, in a room where nobody has to perform being fine.
I have been in the room with hundreds of women and noticed what actually creates change. That is the lens I work from. Not a method, not a script.
Training and experience
Where the work comes from.
500hr Hatha Yoga
Plus Yin and Somatic Mindfulness training, used as a way into the body rather than a workout.
Qi Gong instructor
Slow, grounding practice that opens most Elementa mornings.
Arts Therapy facilitation
Clay, paint and mark-making as a way to process what words do not reach.
Theatre and education
Her first training, and the reason the room feels held rather than run.
PhD researcher
A body-led approach to wellbeing, informing how each retreat is designed.
Where to find me
Retreats and spaces I lead.
27 to 30 September 2026 · Wybalena Organic Farm
The Slow Life Retreat
Four days on an organic farm in the Byron Bay hinterland. Movement, creativity, sauna, ice bath and farm meals.
Sunday afternoons · BlueGreen Sanctuary
Byron Bay Day Retreat
Four hours of movement, art, fire ritual and circle. The easiest way to meet the work in person.
26 February to 1 March 2027 · BlueGreen Sanctuary
Elementa Women's Retreat
Four days in the Byron Bay hinterland with pools, sauna, private chef and a small group of women.
Online · begin today
Homecoming
A self-paced online retreat for women who cannot travel right now.
Monthly · online and in person
Inner Circle
Women's circles that keep the practice alive between retreats.
For women who hold space
Facilitator mentorship
Private mentorship for facilitators building their own retreats and circles.
50+ five star Google reviews from Elementa retreats, circles and gatherings.
Read Google reviews“Anastasia curated and facilitated such a special experience for us all. Every activity was so mindfully thought out and I felt comfortable and nurtured throughout.”
Newsletter & Elementa updates
Notes from Anastasia, retreat dates and early invitations.
Occasional letters for retreat dates, embodied practice and quieter ways back to yourself.